The Davis Strait - DCE - Nationalt Center for Miljø og Energi

Figure 7.1.1. Polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations
(µg kg-1 dry mass) in surface
sediments (usually in the 0-1
cm) in western Greenland. Coloured
bars indicate PAH concentrations
and sampling carried out
by different companies/institutions.
Red bars indicate
sampling by NERI (Aarhus University,
Denmark) and blue bars
by Capricorn (Cairn, Edinburgh).
Note: Data is based on 23 PAH
values which are included in the
United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) compounds
as priority pollutants.
172
chemical contaminants by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA).
Levels of petroleum hydrocarbons (incl. PAHs) are generally low in the Arctic
marine environment and often close to background concentrations, except
in areas with anthropogenic impact such as harbours. Presently, the majority
of petroleum hydrocarbons in the Arctic originate from natural
sources such as seeps (Skjoldal et al. 2007). From the studies performed so
far in Greenland, including the assessment area, on PAH levels in biota and
sediment (including sediments from offshore areas, municipal waste
dumpsites and sites with no known local pollution sources), levels of petroleum
compounds in the Greenland environment appear to be relatively low
and are regarded as background concentrations (Fig. 7.1.1, PAH concentrations
in West Greenland).
The higher PAH concentrations in some areas off the coast of the Nuussuaq
Peninsula (Fig. 7.1.1) could probably be attributed to the Marrat oil seep,
which has been studied some years ago (Mosbech et al. 2007).
76°N
74°N
72°N
70°N
68°N
66°N
64°N
90°W
70°W
85°W
80°W
65°W
75°W
70°W
65°W
PAH concentration in
surface sediments (µg/kg dry mass)
62°N
60°N
500
1.000
0 150 300 Km
1.500
60°W
60°W
55°W
50°W
55°W
45°W
40°W
50°W
35°W
30°W
25°W
45°W
76°N
74°N
72°N
70°N
68°N
66°N
64°N
62°N
60°N